I: Instinct
I believe that so much of leadership is about instinct.
Good leaders must be proactive and visionary, but prepared to react effectively and efficiently in emergencies and crises. So many of these traits cannot be taught in an administrative preparation classroom. Instincts are inherited, not learned. However, leadership traits can be honed through practice experiences and job-embedded professional development.
Though I am not a fan of role playing, due to my introverted nature, I do find value in the process. So often as a leader, we don’t know how we will react to situations until we encounter them. Role playing helps us imagine a scenario and practice our response. The more practice we have, the more supportive we will be in a crisis situation.
Reflective questions to consider:
- What instincts do you have that help you be a strong, supportive leader?
- What instincts do you admire in other leaders?
- How can you continue to develop your own leadership traits to support your work and that of the people and organizations you lead?
- What other “I” words come to mind when you think of reflection?
- How do you develop job-embedded professional development for leaders to hone their instincts?
Abecedary of Reflection: